Does Keith Walendowski have a prior arrest record?

Question

In the news today, Keith Walendowski was arrested for carrying a sawed off shotgun and shooting his lawnmower with it.

My wife and I were debating whether the possible sentence was excessive or not (6 years 3 months if convicted).

She said he might have been arrested before.

Is there any way to find this type of information out without paying for it?

G-Man

Answer 1

Basically they are charging him with possession of a weapon without a tax stamp as required by the 1934 National Firearms Act. That is a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The law was originally intended to make things like the Thompson SMG difficult if not impossible to get. Now for some reason it is ok for me to own and carry as many concealed pistols as I want so long as i have my concealed carry permit, but a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16 inches is a no no. No matter that things like Semi-auto UZI's are considered pistols.

Its a silly law that ends up only being used for silly cases like this one.

If he had been the one that altered the rifle, then they could charge him with manufacturing without a license and hit him for even more prison time.

Answer 2

Oh, it was a sawed-off?  I was beginning to wonder.  As an American, I thought you had a right to blow up non-working lawn equipment.  No wonder why HST shot his head!!

Answer 3

Steve and Pakalolo are correct. His big offense was he altered the rifle and made it 'sawed-off.' It does seem like over kill.

Answer 4

The sawed off shotgun is a violation of federal law and is far worse than him just shooting his lawn mower!! Had it not been altered he probably would have only been fined for the misdemeanor he was also charged with!!